The present invention relates to video processing (e.g., video encoding), and more particularly, to a video processing apparatus with transform unit size selection, mode information unit size selection and/or picture width/height decision, and a related video processing method thereof.
The conventional video coding standards generally adopt a block based coding technique to exploit spatial and temporal redundancy. For example, the basic approach is to divide the whole source picture into a plurality of blocks, perform intra/inter prediction on each block, transform residues of each block, and perform quantization and entropy encoding. Besides, a reconstructed picture is generated in a coding loop to provide reference pixel data used for coding following blocks. For certain video coding standards, in-loop filter(s) may be used for enhancing the image quality of the reconstructed picture.
The intra prediction unit and the inter prediction unit in a video encoder are used to generate predicted pixels/samples needed for generating reconstructed pictures serving as reference pictures. For certain video coding standards, the intra prediction of a current block (i.e., a current transform unit) being encoded requires reconstructed pixels of previously reconstructed block(s). If the current block is across a picture boundary, neighbor pixel padding is needed at the picture boundary to create above or left padded pixels of the current block that are outside the picture boundary.
Hence, there is a need for an innovative video encoder design which can avoid padding above or left neighbor pixels of the current block at the picture boundary before doing intra prediction.